


Finally Home

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angry Poe Dameron, Beginnings of Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Happy Ending, Kylo Ren Redemption, Love Confessions, M/M, Past Torture, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Reconciliation, Redeemed Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 06:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19167376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: The redeemed Ben Solo ties up some loose ends.





	Finally Home

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Reunion
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Being home was bizarre. Ben Solo — formerly Kylo Ren — would say that much. There were the others, still shocked that he had been Kylo Ren. There was his mother, begging forgiveness for doubting him, for believing his uncle. And then, of course, there was Poe.   
  
Even looking across the room at the new Leader of the Resistance, Ben couldn’t help but remember. How he had been inside Poe’s mind, ripping it apart. Of all the things he’d done, that had been one of the absolute worst. He had all but destroyed Poe that day.   
  
“Ben.” Poe’s voice was soft, but his thoughts were all but swirling with emotion, with the utmost pain. Ben could feel it. He wished...stars, what was it all for? He didn’t even get closure regarding his uncle in the end. What was it all for?  
  
Ben didn’t say anything. Just a nod.   
  
They sat down, BB-8 wheeling over protectively towards his Master. Probably ready to shock Ben if Ben tried anything, and Ben found that he couldn’t quite blame BB-8. He couldn’t blame anyone, really, but himself.  
  
“Why did you do it?” Poe said.   
  
“Which one?” Ben said.   
  
Poe snorted. “Pick one, any one. I kind of hate you, you know that? I hate that you left. I hate that you hurt me and Rey. I hate that you’ve killed so many people. I hate that you’ve hurt Finn, killed your own father, your own father, for kriff’s sake...and I hate that I can’t completely hate you.”  
  
Ben supposed it said volumes about Poe that he couldn’t completely do it.   
  
“Poe,” he said, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Another snort. “I think that’s an understatement. You don’t even know how much I hated myself for...for...”  
  
“For what?” Ben already knew the answer, but there was no use scaring Poe. Not now.   
  
“For failing,” Poe said.  
  
“You didn’t. You stayed true to your principles. I was the one who failed.”  
  
Ben didn’t even want to think about it, but in the end, it was true.   
  
"You were always stronger than me. Always braver...and always the better man.”  
  
Something in Poe’s eyes softened, became sorrowful. “Ben...”  
  
“I never wanted to do what I did,” Ben said. He could still remember Snoke shocking him with lightning even as he refused to hurt Poe, and a flash of resentment he felt that Poe was happy, safe, adored, that he didn’t get tortured for refusing to torture someone. “It’s time I told you. Everything.”  
  
So he did. His voice shook on some of them, but he thought he did a good job telling the story nonetheless. It was when he was done that Poe sat back. “You could have come to me,” he said. “I could have helped."  
  
“I don’t know if you could.” Poe had many wonderful qualities, but there were things he hardly understood.   
  
“I could have tried.”   
  
Ben couldn’t deny that. And he knew that whatever Poe felt was deeper than the friendship that they used to share.   
  
Deeper. There had been the possibility that Poe had loved him, but Ben had hated himself too much to believe it. And leaving Poe behind...well, it had contributed to how hard his heart had become.   
  
“I know.”  
  
“Ben.” Poe’s voice was pleading now. “The way you were in pain...I couldn’t bear it. I...loved you too much to see you in pain.”  
  
He paused. He clearly hadn’t expected to say it aloud.   
  
“Do you still?” Ben said.   
  
“I never stopped. And that was the worst part. I don’t forgive you. I hate Kylo Ren...but I don’t love Ben Solo any less.” A beat. “I just want to know if there’s a place in your future for me.”  
  
“There still is. I love you. I just wish I’d said it sooner.”  
  
They stood up, crossed over towards the windows to watch the sun go down, hand in hand, and for the first time in a while, Ben Solo felt, truly, home.


End file.
